Shoe heel



Patented July 1o, 192s.

UNITED STATES 1,616,928 PATENT oFFlfcE.

BERNARD RUPERT RYAN, 0F SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

SHOE HEEL.

Application mea kmh a, 1925, serial no. 12,922, ana in australia nay a, 11124.

This invention relates to shoe heels and more particularly to shoe heels having a renewable portion` where the wear is greatest.

It is an object of this invention to provide simple, economical means for repairing aworn to lift by removing only the rear portion, w 1ere the wear is greatest, and replacing it with a new portion.

It is an object of this invention to provide a renewable heel lift section which will save material and expense, and which is held in place in an improved manner.

It is\,a further object to provide a renewable portion which may be replaced -by the wearer without the necessity of employing skilled labor. l

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of my invention` as applied to a rubber heel of conventional type;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 of a modification of my invention; and

Figure 4 is asimilar view of a further modification.

Referringmore particularly to the drawings, in which like reference characters *denote like parts throughout the several views thereof, 1 denotes a rubber shoe heel of conventional type secured to the shoe by nails 2. AThis heel is divided into two parts, a'front portion 3 and a rear portion 4, preferably connected together by a single, relatively lar e, interlocking dovetail joint.

llgor this purpose, the front member 3 is provided with a trapezoidal tenon 5, hav' its larger endyprojectng rearwardly, an ,Y

"the rear section 4 is provided with -a correspondingly shaped-indenture 6. vIt is obvious, of course, that the tenon for this dovetail joint may be n either the front or the rear member and the corresponding indenture Ain the other. I

The rear portion 4 is the part on which comes the larger portion of the wear, andv this part therefore is designed to be renewable. In the manufacture of these heels additional parts 4 would be marketed along with the heel as an entirety, so that users could buy the renewable rear portions whenever required. All that would be necessary to render the heel as good as new, therefore, would be to remove the three nails holding on the portion 4, put a new member in its place and replace the nails.

This simple operation could easily be performed by the purchaser himself, no skilled labor being required.. Moreover, a decided 'saving of material and expense is effected, since only the portion of the heel which is worn down is replaced, instead of tearing oli' the enti-re top lift, as is now the usual custom. In molding these heels out of rubber, replacement sections 4 may easily be made which will fit perfectly 'with the permanent section 3.

In .the modification shown in Figure 3, the construction of the dovetail joint is somewhat changed by rounding its corners, and is particularly designed for use with a leather heel lift. The permanent front portion of this modification is denoted 7, the

removable rear portion 8. This lift is designed to be used as the top lift of an ordiplied to the market. .The advantages of this modification are the same as those of the modification shown in Figures` 1 and 2, the materialsmerely being changed to suit the taste of the purchaser. Leather lifts may be made with the same type of joint as that shown-in Figure 1, and rubber heelsy withy that shown in Figure 3, the choice of material being optional. Or a construction may be employed in which the removable rear section is made of rubber and the permanent front lsection of leather.

,Figure.4 illustrates a still further modication in which both the front member 9 and the removable rear member 10 of the heel lift are formed with a trapezoidal or wedge-shaped indenture and a separate interlocking member 11 is provided which fits into the recess of each of the members 9 and 10 and locks them securely together. The top lift shown in this modification may also be made of any suitable material, and an especially desirable feature may be includedl by making the plug or insert 11 of a nonslipping composition, such as hard fiber.

Various modifications may be made in my invention without affecting the spirit thereof,

and I therefore desire to be limited only by the prior art and the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what 5 is claimed as new and desired to be secured by U. S. Letters Patent is:

In a shoe heel, a. top lift comprising a front portion adapted to be permanently secured to the shoe, and a rear portion adapted to be removed and replced without disturbing said front portion, both of said portionsbemg provided with wedge shaped recesses, and a plug fitting in said recesses and locking said portions together, said plug being made of a non-slipping composition.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

BERNARD RUPERT RYAN. 

